Roland Garros 2012 — Top Places to Visit

By David Dadoun | Published: May 13, 2012

Roland Garros.jpegThe French Open begins its 121st year at Roland Garros in Paris on May 27, with the Men’s Championship Match held on June 10.  What is not so well known is that nearby is the haute Village d’Auteuil, in the 16th arrondissement, which offers an array of great restaurants, bistros, brasseries and fashion shops for those in need of new clothes or shoes. Read More »

Posted in Best Restaurants in Paris, For Kids, Gourmet, Places, Quoi de Neuf, Shhhh, Sweets, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Printemps à Paris (Spring in Paris)

By David Dadoun | Published: May 14, 2012

Trees are sprouting leaves, flowers are in bloom, sparrows sing wake-up melodies at dawn, and morning rain cleans the narrow cobble stone streets. It is spring in Paris. With spring sun giving a shimmer of warmth and sunlight from the dull, grey days of winter, people are donning sunglasses, hitting the cafés, and sitting outside on the terraces to take it all in. Children (and adults) tend to skip, not walk, and smile a little more as the sun now pierces through the clouds beating down on them. The jardins are now a venue for a pique-nique lunch, or afternoon snack. Read More »

Posted in For Kids, Quoi de Neuf | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Rue Cler — Anique Show and More (Gourmet)

By David Dadoun | Published: May 9, 2012

Searching for silver, fine china, goblets of Baccarat, antique necklaces, old framed art pieces and other fine brocante pieces?  The next fabulous antique and brocante show will be on Rue Cler in the upper-crust 7th Arrondissement of Paris, on May 12and 13th.  Nearly 100 antique and brocante vendors will be lined up near the Ecole Militaire metro.   Who knows what treasures you might find here, but you are guaranteed to find some excellent artifacts without having to go all the way to Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen. Read More »

Posted in Best Restaurants in Paris, Boulangerie, Brocante, Cheese, Chocolate, Epicerie, Events, Following Julia Child, For Kids, Gourmet, Patisserie, Places, Quoi de Neuf, Shhhh, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Village Saint Paul Brocante — Le Marais

By David Dadoun | Published: May 3, 2012

This coming May 12 and 13, a chic brocante will be in the Village St. Paul area of Le Marais, in the 4th Arrondissement of Paris.  In the Jewish Quartier of Paris, Village St. Paul is a well known hunting ground for fine antiques, arts and food.   One of my favorite antique shops in all of Paris –  Cassiopée– which specializes in fine silver, is located here. Read More »

Posted in Events, Quoi de Neuf | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Le Marais

By David Dadoun | Published: May 2, 2012

IMGP1778.JPGA man with a flowing beard, wearing a black fedora, with strings (tziztit) running down the side of his pants carries a black siddur (prayer book) in his hand as he leaves shul (synagogue).  A bar with a rainbow flag and male patrons is starting happy hour.  Young women wearing the newest fashion and six-inch Christian Louboutin shoes, with their trademarked red-soles clip along on rue des Rosiers by the hip Zadig & Voltaire.  The smell of fresh falafel wafts in the air, as lines of people form to buy one of the best falafel sandwiches in the world at L’As du Falafel.  Fresh baked challah, cinnamon chocolate babka, rugelach, cheesecake, and other Ashkenazi pastries are displayed in front of Sacha Finkelstein’s Jewish bakery.  To add more color, adult “toy stores,” catering to a male clientele, are not the least bit shy in displaying their wares in large glass window cases.

This is Le Marais, the trendy quartier of Paris known for its concentrated presence of gays, Jews, and chic fashion designers.  Read More »

Posted in Best Restaurants in Paris, Boutique, Following Julia Child, For Kids, Places | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Violon d’Ingres

By David Dadoun | Published: April 30, 2012

On Rue Saint Dominique, in the epicenter of the tony Seventh arrondissement near the Eiffel Tower, lies a single block of restaurants that, together, offer some of the best French cuisine in Paris.  A constellation of three restaurants next to each other – all owned by famed Chef Christian Constant – give varied choice to a sophisticated clientele, from simple but chic Café Constant, to ultra modern and sleek Les Cocottes, to his flagship Michelin star restaurant Violon d’Ingres. Read More »

Posted in Best Restaurants in Paris | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments